Right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. And whereas it is so
that, through the help of Almighty God, the assistance of our loving
and true subjects, and the great confidence that we have to the nobles
and commons of this our principality of Wales, we be entered into the
same, purposing by the help above rehearsed, in all haste possible,
to descend into our realm of England, not only for the adoption of
the crown, unto us of right appertaining, but also for the oppression
of the odious tyrant, Richard late Duke of Gloucester, usurper of our
said right; and moreover to reduce as well our said realm of England
into its ancient estate, honour and property, and prosperity, as this
our said principality of Wales, and the people of the same to their
erst liberties, delivering them of such miserable servitude as they
have piteously long stood in: We desire and pray you, and upon your
allegiance strictly charge and command you, that immediately upon sight
hereof, with all such power as ye may make, defensibly arrayed for the
war, ye address you towards us, without any tarrying upon the way,
until such time as ye be with us, wheresoever we shall be, to our aid,
for the effect above rehearsed, wherein ye shall cause us in time to
come to be your singular good lord; and that ye fail not hereof as ye
will avoid our grievous displeasure, and answer it unto your peril.
Given under our signet at our [_place and date omitted in the MS._].
To our trusty and well-beloved John ap Meredith ap Jevan ap Meredith.
THE JOURNEY TO BOSWORTH (+August, 1485+).
=Source.=--_Life of Rice ap Thomas._ (Cambrian Register, 1795).
The Earl having taken Livery and Seisin of part of his kingdom, and
now in the way of possessing himself with the whole, Rice ap Thomas
forthwith commanded the beacons to be set on fire, thereby to give
notice to all the countries adjacent of his landing, and withal to
summon his friends and kinsmen from all parts where his power was
extended, to come in with their forces, some in one place and some in
another, in his way to Shrewsbury.... Being in this glorious equipage
and so strongly provided on all hands, Rice ap Thomas made with all
speed for Shrewsbury, and, as he went, met with the Earl of Richmond
in his way, to whom he made humble obeisaunce, vowing to follow him
through all dangers, to the utter subversion both of the tyrant and
his wicked accomplices.... When the Earl was, as I said, in his way to
Shrewsbury, met and saluted by Rice ap Thomas with so goodly a band of
Welshmen, it was no small joy to him.... For you must know the Earl
all this while was much appalled and troubled in his mind, not knowing
well what to think of Rice ap Thomas, there being divers rumours
dispersed up and down through his army that the said Rice meant to side
with Richard, and for that purpose was ready to give him battle; which
rumour indeed, Rice himself, out of policy, had caused to be blown
abroad, to hoodwink the tyrant until he were in his full strength.[55]
And this his device he acquainted the Earl withal, at their first
meeting, and so together they marched on to Shrewsbury, where the Earl
was received with an _Ave_ cheer and "_God speed thee well_," the
street being strewed with herbs and flowers, and the doors adorned
with green boughs in testimony of a true hearty reception.... From
Shrewsbury they went to a small village called Newport, and there Sir
George Talbot came unto the Earl with two thousand tall men.... After
this for Stafford they go; thence to Lichfield and so to Atherstone,
where he and his father-in-law, the Lord Stanley, met and consulted
touching the ordering of their affairs, and how to give battle to King
Richard, which done they departed each to his charge.
[55] The English chroniclers represent Rice as joining Henry for the
first time at Shrewsbury.
THE EVE OF BOSWORTH (+August, 1485+).
=Source.=--_Paston Letters_, vol. iii., No. 884.
_The Duke of Norfolk to John Paston._
_To my well beloved friend, John Paston, be this bill delivered in
haste._
Well beloved friend, I commend me unto you, letting you to understand
that the King's enemies be a-land, and that the King would have set for
the assumption Monday but only for Our Lady Day;[56] but for certain he
goeth forward assumption Tuesday, for a servant of mine brought to me
the certainty. Wherefore I pray you that ye meet with me at Bury ... and
that ye bring with you such company of tall men as ye may goodly make,
at my cost and charge, beside that ye have promised to the King; and I
pray you ordain them jackets of my livery, and I shall content you at
your meeting with me.
Your lover
+J. Norfolk+.
[56] The Assumption of Our Lady, August 15.
THE BATTLE OF BOSWORTH FIELD (+August 22, 1485+).
=Source.=--Ingulph's _Chronicles_, pp. 503-504. (Bohn Edition.)
At daybreak on the Monday following there were no chaplains present to
perform Divine service on behalf of King Richard, nor any breakfast
prepared to refresh the flagging spirits of the King; besides which,
as it is generally stated, in the morning he declared that during
the night he had seen dreadful visions, and had imagined himself
surrounded by a multitude of demons. He consequently presented a
countenance, which, always attenuated, was on this occasion more livid
and ghastly than usual, and asserted that the issue of this day's
battle, to whichever side the victory might be granted, would prove
the utter destruction of the kingdom of England. He also declared that
it was his intention, if he should prove the conqueror, to crush all
the supporters of the opposite faction; while, at the same time, he
predicted that his adversary would do the same towards the well-wishers
to his own party, in case the victory should fall to his lot.
At length, the prince and knights on the opposite side now advancing at
a moderate pace against the royal army, the King gave orders that the
Lord Strange[57] should be instantly beheaded. The persons, however,
to whom this duty was entrusted, seeing that the issue was doubtful in
the extreme, and that matters of more importance than the destruction
of one individual were about to be decided, delayed the performance of
this cruel order of the King, and, leaving the man to his own disposal,
returned to the thickest of the fight.
[57] Stanley's eldest son, who was a hostage with Richard.
A battle of the greatest severity now ensuing between the two sides,
the earl of Richmond, together with his knights, made straight for
King Richard, while the earl of Oxford, who was next in rank to him
in the whole army and a most valiant soldier, drew up his forces,
consisting of a large body of French and English troops, opposite
the wing in which the duke of Norfolk had taken up his position. In
the part where the earl of Northumberland was posted, with a large
and well-provided body of troops, there was no opposition made, as
not a blow was given or received during the battle. At length a
glorious victory was granted by heaven to the said earl of Richmond,
now sole King, together with the crown, of exceeding value, which
King Richard had previously worn on his head. For while fighting and
not in the act of flight, the said King Richard was pierced with
numerous deadly wounds, and fell in the field like a brave and most
valiant prince; upon which, the duke of Norfolk before mentioned, Sir
Richard Ratclyffe, Sir Robert Brackenbury, keeper of the Tower of
London, John Kendall, secretary, Sir Robert Percy, controller of the
King's household, and Walter Devereux, lord Ferrers, as well as many
others, chiefly from the north, in whom King Richard put the greatest
confidence, took to flight without engaging; and there was left no
part of the opposing army of sufficient importance or ability for the
glorious conqueror Henry the Seventh to engage, and so add to his
experience in battle.
Through this battle peace was obtained for the entire kingdom, the
body of the said King Richard being found among the dead. Many insults
were also heaped upon it, and, not exactly in accordance with the laws
of humanity, a halter being thrown round the neck, it was carried to
Leicester; while the new King also proceeded to that place, graced with
the crown which he had so gloriously won.
While these events were taking place, many nobles and others were
taken prisoners; and in especial, Henry, Earl of Northumberland, and
Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey.... There was also taken prisoner William
Catesby, who occupied a distinguished place among all the advisers of
the late King, and whose head was cut off at Leicester as a last reward
for his excellent offices. Two gentlemen, also, of the western parts
of the kingdom, father and son, known by the name of Brecher ... were
hanged. As it was never heard, nor yet stated in writing or by word of
mouth, that any other persons, after the termination of the warfare,
were visited with similar punishments, but that, on the contrary, the
new prince had shown clemency to all, he began to receive the praises
of all, as though he had been an angel sent down from heaven, through
whom God had deigned to visit His people, and to deliver it from the
evils with which it had hitherto, beyond measure, been afflicted.